Shane Warne still has much to offer

Shane Warne, the cricketer, was renowned for never giving in. No matter how hopeless the situation, Warne always seemed to believe his uncanny brand of brilliance and ingenuity could turn it around.

The same cannot be said of Shane Warne the philanthropist, who announced the closure of his charitable foundation last month after what he called "unwarranted speculation" and a "malicious campaign" in the media. He was referring, presumably, to Sunday Age reports that revealed concerns about the foundation's historic management, the fact that in some years it contributed just 16¢ in each dollar raised to charity, and that Consumer Affairs Victoria was examining its accounts.

Warne said he had been hurt by the reports, and that the foundation had nothing to hide. It is easy to believe the former statement. The latter, however, sits strangely with his consistent refusal to speak to the Sunday Age on the record, or allow access to the foundation's financial statements. At any time, he could have made the story go away by full disclosure.

It is revealing that when Consumer Affairs Victoria demanded an independent audit of his foundation's accounts, Warne responded via social media that the foundation would "rather spend the $10,000 on children in need rather than on an audit". It would be a laudable sentiment, if not for the foundation's history of waste and bad bookkeeping. No audit would have been necessary if more attention had been paid to detail.

It is sad, however, that Warne has chosen to walk away from his own cause. By its own reckoning, the foundation raised $7.8 million over 12 years, with $3.6 million going to charity. While that represents a poor return for donors, it is still a substantial sum, and no doubt made a difference to many lives.

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More than anything, the amount raised by the foundation speaks to the power of the Warne name (as does the reported $2 million he was paid to be part of television reality show I'm a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here). Along with his enduring personal popularity, Warne has a network of well-connected and well-heeled friends in the business, sporting, entertainment and media communities. He is, in short, perfectly positioned to do good.

We believe, too, that Warne's intentions throughout have been honourable, and that the failings of his foundation have been of inefficiency, poor record-keeping and poor decision-making. It seems that too much attention was paid to organising glitzy, high-profile events and too little to ensuring that costs were kept to a minimum and dividends to a maximum.

When these failings were brought to light by a new management team, the foundation had an opportunity to put its house in order and move forward. It is a shame it did not take it.

The lesson to be learned, and not just for Warne, is that meaning well is not enough. There are, correctly, rules and regulations for the charity sector, and good intentions must be matched by good management.

That is particularly so in the overcrowded Australian charity scene. There are 54,000 registered charities in this country, with hundreds failing every month and hundreds more springing up to replace them. When household budgets are squeezed and donors are suffering from charity fatigue, it's vital that every dollar donated does the maximum good.

Relatively high-profile organisations such as the Shane Warne Foundation have a particular responsibility to set an example, and celebrities such as Warne must understand that a charity is not a plaything but a serious enterprise.

We hope that Warne continues to exercise his charitable instincts, perhaps by lending his name to one of Australia's many established, efficient organisations. A man known for his tenacity on the field, and clearly wanting to be known for his good nature off it, should not be remembered for taking his bat and ball and going home.

And another thing

The day of love's history is a muddled one.

The actual St Valentine may never have existed – and certainly any connection his story might have to romance or, more solemnly, marriage appears to be contrived, or at least over-reaching.

Whereas Christmas and Easter for many people retain deep religious significance, Valentine's Day, culturally, is a marketing exercise – even the Catholic church doesn't know what to do with it.

While this allows cynicism to foster, Valentine's Day has the potential to be something beautiful, because it is a wholly human blood-and-bone commemoration.

Long-term relationships, no matter how successful, are inevitably complicated and at times wearying. So we say, take a moment and be sweet to your sweetheart.